Data copying machine



Oct. 23, 1951 R. J. CRISSY DATA COPYING MACHINE 3 SheetsSheet 1 Filed June 25, 1947 F f x I EJ R g Wm m r W; QNN m A L l 4 mw M Q, 2 m m M F W Tlf-H im u m u m FMM- w N MH E m 1 K QNKQQQ a Q Q n s NN MN M E NJ QE w p m R. J. CRISSY DATA COPYING MACHINE Oct. 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1947 INVENTQR:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DATA COPYING MACHINE Application June 25, 1947, Serial No. 756,993

7 Claims.

This invention relates to machines designed for transferring printed or typed matter, for example, from data-bearing cards capable of repeated use, to blanks such as letter sheets, mailing evelopes, etc.

In machine of the kind referred to as ordinarily constructed heretofore, the blanks and the cards, after being passed in contact witheach other between a pair of cooperating counterrotating press cylinders, were released together into a common receiver. Thus after each run of the machine, it was necessary to separate the cards from the printed sheets before they could be re-used. This was not only a time consuming operation, but invariablyresulted in the derangement of the cards from the standpoint of their original serial order.

My invention has for one of its aims to overcome the above drawbacks. This objective is attained in practice as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision, in addition to pile supports from which individual sheets and cards are respectively fed in succession to the press cylinders, of separate stacking receivers to which said sheets and cards are respectively delivered upside down but in the same order as originally received.

In a data copying machine having the foregoing attributes, it is a further aim of my invention to provide for compensative leveling as between the pile supports and the receiver both for the sheets and the cards, so that the feeding and delivery of the latter is effected always substantially in the same horizontal planes.

Other objects and attendantv advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a data copying machine conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken out fragmentary view, like Fig. 1, of the upper portion of the machine drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View of the machine in side elevation showing part of the feeding mechanism by which the blank sheets are successively advanced from a stock pile to the impression cylinders of the machine.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views in longitudinal section drawn to a still larger scale in order to better show important structural features of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows VI-VI in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section corresponding to Fig-.1 and showin a modification.

With more specific reference first more particularly to Figs. 1-3 of these illustrations, the cooperative press cylinders of the machine are designated l0 and H, the same being fixed to shafts l2 and I3 which are journalled in suitable bearings on the machine framework l4. Through attached intermeshing spur wheels l5 and IS, the press cylinders l0 and H are caused to rotate in unison but in opposite directions as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the cylinder [I being driven by a speed-reducing belt connection I! from an electric motor indicated at l8. As shown in Fig. 1, the cylinder l0 carries a pad I 9 adapted to be contacted by a pad 20 on an applicator roll 2| whereof the shaft 22 is also journaled in the machine framing l4. During each rotation of roll 2| which is driven by a spur pinion 23 from gear l5, pad 20 wipes against a roll 24 which is partly submerged in a fountain trough 25 containing suitable transfer or copying fluid. By the means just described, the pad I 9 on cylinder Ill is moistened with the fluid during each rotation of said cylinder. As shown, the pad 20 has an arcuate backing plate 2041 with means, indicated at 2%, for engagin a circumferential groove or grooves 2|b in the roll 2| to removably hold it in place for convenience of interchange with others for a purpose later explained. A similar arrangement may be made for the opposing pad IS on cylinder Ill.

Disposed at one end of the machine relatively remote from the cylinders Ill and II, is a support 26 for stock pile S of blank sheets 3 which are to receive the impressions from the data bearing cards, said support being in the form of an elevator with guide rollers 21 confined to an upright channel track, whereof one is indicated at 28, on the machine framing. As shown, the elevator 25 has a platform 29 with a pendent threaded rod 30 which passes through guide bosses 3| and which, in the interval between said bosses, is engaged by a nut wheel 32. By this arrangement, the platform 29 can be raised or lowered relative to the elevator 26. After being printed, the sheets are delivered, in a manner later on explained, to a receiver 33 which is likewise in the form of an elevator with rollers 34 confined to another upright track channel 35 alongside the track channel 28. Like the ,elevator 26, the receiver elevator 33 has a platform 36 with a pendent screw rod 3! which is guided in bosses 38 and which between said bosses, is engaged by an adjusting nut wheel 39. Chains, such as the one indicated at 40, passing over a sprocket 4| on a transverse shaft 42 at the top of the machine, connect the elevators 26 meshing worm wheel 48 on the sprocket shaft 42. Freely fulcrumed on the stud 44- a bell crank 49 which, through a link rod. 5. 3;, is constantly oscillated by an eccentric'5I. (-Fig. 1) on. the shaft I2 of the press cylinder I0. The pawl 52, for picking the ratchet Wheel 43,.is. carried by an arm 53 fulcrumed for independent'movement on the stud 44 and connected, through another link rod 54, to a-ffeeler finger 55 which,

through aspring 55, is held in yielding engagement with the blank top sheet. s of, the pile S on the, elevator 26' with the pawl normally moving idly back and.- forth on the ratchet. As: the feeler 55 recedes upon removal of a few sheets from the pile S, the pawl arm- 53 is moved into therange of the constantly oscillating bell crank 49.- and the ratchet wheel given an incremental rotary shift by the pawl 52. As. a consequence of: repetitions of such actions, the elevators: 25

will be progressively raised and the top. of the dwindling pile S maintained at. a. substantially constant levelto. insure successive removal of individual sheets by means presently referred to. The intermittent. lifts of theelevator- 25 will, of course, be attended. by corresponding incremental drops of the receiving elevator 3.3,. so that the top of the growing: stack of. printed sheets will likewise be maintainedat a. substantially uniform level to insure; proper stacking of the printed sheets as they are delivered horizontally from the cylinder I: as also presently explained.

The mechanism for removing individual sheets from. the'pile Son the elevator 2'5- and advancing when it arrives at the roller 8I, permits the element 16 to drop, with the result that the stop projection I is lowered to release the sheet S on the belt I2 and the roll I! brought into contact with the roll I8, as shown in Fig. 5, to advance said sheet for engagement of its leading edge by grippers, of which one: is indicated at 0.5 on the press cylinder. The grippers 85 are in the form of fingers which occupy voids at one point in the periphery of the press cylinder l0, and which are secured to a rock shaft 85. The gripper fingers 85 are influenced by torsion springs. 8'1! whereby their free ends are normally maintained in. engagement with the periphery of the press cylinder I:0 to effectively grip the leading edge of each sheet s, and to thereby hold it to said cylinder. For actuating the grippers 85 atithe, proper times, I have provided fixed cam pieces 88 and 89 which are respectively positioned directly above and to the right. of the. press cylinder I0 in the path of a roller 90, on. an arm 9| alfixed to the gripper shaft. 85..

Running in contact with the. cylinder ID at the bottom is a roller 92 whereby the leading edge of the sheet 5, after actuation of the gripper 85 by the cam 89 to release it, is controlled for deflection by a stripper indicated at. 93 toward; another pair of constantly rotating. nip. rolls 95 and 96 by which said sheet, after having passed half way around the cylinder... isfinally discharged onto the receiver 33. In order to, properly direct the printed sheets horizontally tothe receiver 33, I have. further provided guides 91 and 98 respectively beneath the stripper 93. andbeyond the them to the press cylinders I B. includes a lifting element which is secured to-a transverse-shaft 6 I and which has asuction foot 62 in communication, by way oi? a flexible tube partly shown at 63, with a suitable suction pump. Also affixed to the shaft (it is an; arm 6.5 which, through a link rod 63, is operated from a rotary cemt'i onthe shaft 12: of the press cylinder to (see Fig. 2). The spring indicated at 58: draws. upon the link 5.6 and thereby serves tokeep afollower roller 5} on said link engaged with the periphery of the cam. 61-. element 60-, the leading edge of the topmost blank sheet s is presented to a pair of constantly rotating nip rolls 10 and H and, by the latter, advanced to a continually travelling horizontallyarranged endles feed: belt. 12' which. is disposed over the receiver elevator 33: inthe interval between the press. cylinder I0 and the sheet. supply elevator 25. Each sheet 5 is momentarily arrested on the feed belt I2 by a stop projection 1.5 on a member it. which carries a nip roll 11. adapted to. coact, at certain times, with a constantly rotatin companionnip. roll '13 journalled in the machine framework. The member I6 is fulcrumed for up. and down moyement about a transverse aXiS. rod, 1.9, and. is subject to, the d wnward. pull of a spring 80 by which a. fol.- lower roller 8i thereon is. maintained yieldinglyin engagement with a peripheral cam. tread 3.2 at one end of the press cylinder I0.. As. shown. the cam tread 82 has a depression, at 8.3 which,

By the action of the delivery nip rolls. and 96...

The motion for driving the: various. elements by which the. sheets 8. are individually advanced to and delivered from the press roll i0 is: derived from the gear wheel I5 with which, as shown in Fig. 2, meshes a pinion I00 which in. turn: drives: a pinion IB'I on the shaft of the nip roll. is previously referred to. The feed; belt I2. and the delivery rolls 95v and 96 are. drivenv from. theshafts of the nip roll I8 and the gear. pinion- I.00,. by a belt connection I03; while. the. receiving nip rolls I0 and II are driven by a belt connectioni l04 from one of. theend pulley shaftsof the feedbelt I2. as shown. in. Fig, 2. The various gears and pulleys of this drive system,. it. will be. noted, are so proportioned. that the surface. speed of the feed nip rolls and the feedbelt 12 somewhat faster than. that of the press cylinder L0, and the surface speed. of the. delivery nip rolls 95: and. 95, synchronous with that. of. said. cylinder...

In order that the elevators 26. and 33w may be properly positioned at the beginning of each run ofv the machine, I have provided (Figs. 3 and 6)- a clutch collar I05 whereby the: worm wheel 48. can be disconnected from the sprocket shaftv 42 and. said shaft turned by application of a handcrank I06 to its square end, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3 to actuate the chain: 40. As shown in Fig. 6, the clutch collar [-0.5 is retractable bymeans of a shifter arm I01 and is. lockable in retracted position by a releasable latclr H18. The collar I05 is normally held clutchingposition through the action of a, spring I09.- uponthe shifter arm. I0! inv a manner readily understood from Fig. 6.

From Figs. 1, 2 and 4 it will. be noted that appurtenances identical to those. described above are provided for feeding the data-bearing: cards 0. individually to the press roll II, and for subse quently delivering themeindividually from. said. 1011, Accordingly, in order to precludethenecese sity for repetitive description, these duplicated parts have been identified by the same reference numerals previously employed with addition however in each instance, of the letter a for convenience of more ready distinction.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The piles S and C respectively of blank sheets s and cards are placed on the elevators 26 and 26a. If the quantities in the piles are less than the full capacity of the machine, the elevator platforms 29 and 2911 are adjusted by means of .the nut wheels 32, 32a so that the upper sheets and cards in the piles are brought to the level of the feelers 55, 55a. The platforms 36, 36a of the receiver elevators 33, 33a are in turn adjusted by manipulation of the nut wheels 39, 39a so that said platforms are properly leveled with respect to the sheet and card delivery guides 98, 98a. With this preparation, the machine is set in motion by starting the motor I8. At each actuation of the suction elements 60, 60a, the topmost sheet s in the pile S and the topmost card 0 in the pile C are presented to the nip rolls III, II and Illa, I la and by the latter transferred to the feed belts I2, 12a which advance them until they are intercepted by the stops I5, 75a on the elements I6, 16a. As the rollers 99, 96a arrive at the fixed cams 88 and 88a as exemplified in Fig. 5, the arms 9|, 9Ia are actuated, with the result that the grippers 85, 85a on the press cylinders I6 and II,

are momentarily opened to respectively receive the leading edge of the sheet s and of the card 0 which latter have in the meantime been released and fed forward by the nip rolls 11, I8 and 11a, 18a upon momentary dropping of the stop elements 16, 16a as the cam depressions 83, 83a on the press cylinders I0 and II pass the rollers 8|, 8Ia on said elements, also as shown in Fig. 5. By actionof the grippers 85, 8511, the sheet s and the card 0 are carried around the oppositely rotating press cylinders I0 and I I and brought into face to face contact in passing through the nip of said cylinders as shown in Fig. 4, so that said sheet, after previous moistening of a predetermined area of its surface by the pad 20 on roll 2|, receives the desired impression from said card. Eventually as the leading edges of the sheet and card arrive at the strippers 93, 93a to which they are assisted by the rolls 92, 92a,they are directed by the guides 91, 91a to the nip rolls 95, 96 and 95a, 96a, the grippers 85, 85a having been opened in the meantime through actuation of their roller arms 9|, 9Ia by the stationary cams 89,. 89a as exemplified in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. By the action of the nip rolls 95, 96 and 95a, 96a, the now printed sheet and the used card are ejected and horizontally directed, faces downward, over the delivery guides 98, 98a and onto the receivers 33 and 33a. As the sheet and card piles S and C are reduced, the elevators 26 and 26a are gradually raised by intermittent movement of the sprocket chains and 40a through picking of the associated ratchet mechanism under automatic control of the feelers 55, 55a, with attendant descent of the elevators 33, 33a to accommodate growth of the stacks S and C of the printed sheets and used cards. The feelers 55, 55a thus serve as a means for maintaining the supply and receiver elevators 26, 33 and 26a, 33a in such positions that the top sheets and cards of the stock piles S, C and the receiving piles S, C are caused to occupy substantially constant levels respectively with the suction elements 60, 60a and the delivery guides 98, 98a.

' In addition to their motion transmitting function, the worm' 41 and worm wheel 48 and the corresponding worm and gear (not shown) at the left hand end of the machine in Fig. 1, serve as locking means to prevent slip of the chains 49, 40a through unbalance of the elevators 26, 33 and 26a, 33a as the respective loads on them change. However, as hereinbefore pointed out, the worm wheels can be unclutched from the sprocket shafts 42 and the latter turned by means of the crank handle I06 as in Fig. 6, to quickly return the elevators to re-starting position after each run of the machines. With the pads I9 and 20 arranged as shown in the drawings, only definiteareas'of the sheets s are moistened, and only corresponding portions transferred to them of the data on the cards. However, through the hereinbefore described provisions 20b, 2Ib made for interchange, pads of larger or smaller areas may be substituted in accordance with the amount of the data desired to be transferred from the cards to the sheets.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in my improved data copying machine, the sheets and cards are not only neatly stacked upside down in different piles after having passed between the press cylinders, but kept in the serial order which they occupied in the stock piles at the beginning of each run of the machine. I have accordingly obviated the necessity for any subsequent separation and sorting of the cards from the sheets as was required with copying machines of the prior art constructions.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, the sprocket chain 40a connecting the supply and receiver elevators 26a and 33a, is diverted to pass downwardly in the interval between two top sprockets 4Ia, I60 and to underpass an auxiliary or idler sprocket Wheel II whereof the shaft H2 is journalled at each end in a slide block H3 confined to a vertical guideway H5 on the machine framing I4. As shown, the guide block I I3 is engaged by a screw spindle H6 which, at its lower end, carries a bevel gear pinion II I in mesh with a similar pinion H8 on a transverse shaft I I9 provided with a removable hand crank I20. By turning the shaft H9 one direction or the other, it will be apparent that, through the interm diate elements just described, the sprocket chain 40a. will be either taken up or payed out,

with resultant compensative adjustment of the levels of the elevators 26a. and 33a in preparing the machine for operation on different batches of sheets and cards.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a data copying machine, a pair of counter rotated press cylinders with their axes in the same horizontal plane; a support for a stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders to one side thereof; a support for another stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders to the other side thereof; separate means operative to remove individual sheets from the respective piles and advancing them for downward passage, face to face, between the cylinders; a collecting receiver arranged at a lower level between the cylinders and one of the stock pile supports for receiving the first sheets after passage between the cylinders; a second collecting receiver similarly arranged with interval between the cylinders and the second stock pile support for receiving the second mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; means for progressively elevating the two supports concurrently as the sheets are removed from them; and means for directing the sheets laterally in opposite directions to the respective receivers after having P sed between the cylinders as aforesaid.

2. A data copying machine, according to claim 1, further including connections whereby the receivers are compensatively lowered asv the corresponding stock pile supports are progressively elevated.

'3. In a data copying machine, a pair of counter-rotated press cylinders with their axes in the same horizontal plane; a support for a stock pile oppositely driven horizontal transfer belts respectivelyoperating in the intervals between the cylinders and the respective stock pile supports; means for progressively elevating the two supports concurrently for presentation of the top sheets of the decreasing piles substantially at the level of the two belts; simultaneously-actuated feed means, operative at each actuation, to feed the topsheets from the respective stock piles to the respective belts for transfer to the respective cylinders; means for guiding the respective sheets so fed downwardly to meet in the bight between the cylinders; and means for laterally directing the sheets to the respective receivers after having passed between the cylinders as aforesaid.

4 In a data copying machine, a pairof counterrotating press cylinders; a support for a stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders on one side thereof; a support for another stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders-on the other side thereof; feeding means for concurrently removing individual sheets successivelyfrom the twopiles and advancing them to the cylinders for downward passage, face to face, between thelatter; a collecting receiver arranged between the cylinders and-oneof the stock pile supports for receiving the first mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a second collecting receiver similarly arranged between the, cylinders and the second stock pile support for receiving the second mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a vertically,- arranged chain trained over sprocket wheels to the pendent endsof which chain the. first mentioned stock pilesupport, and. the first mentioned .sheetreceiver are connected; a similarly arranged chain trained over a sprocket wheel to the pend.- ent ends of which chain the second mentioned stock pile support and the second mentioned receiver, are connected; and means for incrementally rotating the. respective sprocket wheels so that the corresponding stock pile supports are gradually raised as the sheets are removed from them and the corresponding receivers are con currently lowered for stocking of respective sheets.

5. In a data copying machine, a pair of counterrotated press cylinders; a support for a stockpile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders on one side thereof; a support for another-stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders .onthe other side thereof; feeding means for concurrently removing individual sheets, successively from. the two piles and, advancing them to the iii.

cylinders for downward passage, face to face, between the latter; a collecting receiver arranged between the cylinders and one of the stock pile supports for receiving the first mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a second collecting receiver similarly arranged between the cylinders and the second mentioned stock pile support for receiving the second mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a verticallyarranged chain trained over sprocket wheels to the pendent ends of which chain the first mentioned stock pile support and the first mentioned sheet receiver are connected; a similarly arranged chain trained over a sprocket wheel to the pendient ends of which chain the second mentioned stock. pile support and the second mentioned receiver are connected; means; for incrementally rotating the respective sprocket wheels so that the corresponding, stock pile supports are gradually raised as the sheets are removed from them and the corresponding receivers are. concurrently lowered for stacking of respective sheets, the last mentioned means including worm wheels. on the shafts of the respective sprockets, intermeshing worms for driving the shafts, and retractable clutches whereby the worm wheels can be released fromthe shafts; and removable crank handles for the sprocket shafts whereby, upon unclutching of the worm wheels, the stock pile supports and the receivers can be quickly returned to restarting positions after each run of the machine.

6. In a data copying machine, a pair of counterrotated press cylinders; a support for a stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders on one side thereof; a support for another stock pile of sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders on the other side thereof; feeding means for concurrently removing individual" sheets successively from the two piles and advancing them to the cylinders for downward passage, face to face, between the latter; a collecting receiver arranged between the cylinders and one of the stockpile supports for receiving the first mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a second collecting receiver similarly arranged between the cylinders and the second mentioned stock pile support for receiving thesecond' mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; 'a vertically arranged chain trained over sprocket wheels to the pendent ends of which chain the first mentioned stock pile support and the first mentioned sheet receiver are connected; a similarly arranged chain trained over a sprocket wheel to the pend- "ent ends of which chain the second mentioned stock pile support and the second mentioned receiver are connected; ratchet wheel and individual actuating pawls associated with the respective sprockets; and feelers contacting the topmostsheets on the respective stock piles for automatically controlling picking of the ratchet's by the respective. pawls so that the stock pile supports, are gradually raised as' the sheets are successively; removed' from them and the receivers concurrently lowered for stacking of the sheets after their passage between the cylinders.

71 In a datacopying machine, a pair of: counterrotated pres cylinders; asupport for a stock ile of, sheets disposed remotely from the cylinders on one side thereof; a support for another stockpile of sheets; disposed; remotely from'the cylinders on theothersidethereof'; separate feeding means for; concurrently removing individual: sheets successivelyrfrom. the tops of the tw piles and advancing them tothe cylinders. for downward passage, face: to-fauegbetween; the latter; a collecting receiver arranged between the cylinders and one of the stock pile supports for receiving the first mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a second collecting receiver similarly arranged between the cylinders and the second mentioned stock pile support for receiving the second mentioned sheets after passage between the cylinders; a vertically-arranged chain trained over a pair of spaced sprocket Wheels over which each chain is trained; and auxiliary sprocket wheels underpassed by the respective chains and regulatable up and down between the sprocket wheel pairs aforesaid for adjustment of the levels of the stock pile supports and the respective receiver to adapt the machine for operation upon different stack quantities of the respective sheets.

ROBERT J. CRISSY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sedgwick July 31, 1888 Belknap Oct. 26, 1897 Asmussen Feb. 20, 1912 Cox Oct. 14, 1913 Droitcour May 6, 1919 Johnson June 6, 1933 Toppin Jan. 14, 1936 Schultz June 30, 1936 Kokay Sept. 6, 1938 Takats Feb. 13, 1940 Smith Nov. 16, 1943 Davidson et a1 Sept. 12, 1944 Mills Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 26, 1932 

